Photo-induced removal of uranium under air without external photocatalysts

Abstract

Photo-induced transformation of soluble U(VI) to insoluble U(IV) is an effective way for uranium extraction and removal. However, the photoreduction process needs to be conducted under the protection of inert gas, hindering its practical application. In this work, we have proved that photo-induced formation of insoluble uranium peroxide mineral is an alternative approach for uranium extraction under air. Even without an external photocatalyst, the photochemical activity of the uranyl ion itself can trigger the production of H₂O₂ under visible light irradiation, and a chemical reaction between uranyl ions and H₂O₂ resulted in the formation of uranium peroxide precipitates, showing good selectivity to coexisting ions. This new strategy has great application potential in environment protection and radioactive wastewater treatment.